Trapped in the Middle
by 32-bit Mandarin Orange
Summary: rating for language... Misty thought ever thing would be the same as when they were young. But she was wrong...dead wrong. pokeshippy
1. Chapter 1

Some of this is my friend MIONEPOTTER14 'S writing.check out her stories too!! Disclaimer: We don't own Pokemon anything.. KAY???? "Ring, ring, ring! Ring, ring, ring! Phone Call! Phone Call!" Her heart  
  
leapt..maybe it was..him. *He promised to call in his last letter.* she  
  
thought. She ran to the phone and snatched it up, hoping that her beloved was  
  
on the other line.   
  
"Hello?" she said tentatively into the receiver.   
  
"Misty?" Misty Kasumi Waterflower, 21 years old, tried to contain her  
  
excitement as she realized whose voice it was.   
  
"Hi Ash!" She exclaimed cheerfully, a little too cheerfully. "How are you??  
  
It's so good to hear your voice!!"   
  
"Same here," Ash Ketchum, 20, responded warmly. "Um..Mist, I was  
  
kinda wondering something."   
  
"What..Mr. Pokemon Master?" she asked happily, using the old  
  
nickname as a term of endearment. How many years had she imagined hearing  
  
his voice, the famous Pokemon trainer who she thought she'd never hear from  
  
again?   
  
"Well are you doing anything this week?? 'Cause I was kinda wondering if  
  
you wanted to....to..to hang out. I'm passing through Cerulean City on my  
  
way to a Pokemon tournament. I wanted to know if you want to..um..hang  
  
out, and maybe come with to the tournament," he finished lamely.  
  
"Sure!" Misty squealed gleefully. "It's been at least three years since  
  
we've seen one another." She was in such a blissful state of ignorance she never  
  
thought about him having a girlfriend already. *Get ready, Ash. I'm going to  
  
blow you away.* She thought, her mind already racing.   
  
"How about I meet you at your gym on Friday? I should be there by  
  
then. And I'll call you if I have to come later 'kay?" Ash stated, with a hint of  
  
question in his voice.   
  
"Works for me. See you then Ash. Bye!" Misty said without hesitation.  
  
She gently replaced the phone on the hook and stared at it for several minutes.   
  
*Ohmigosh! Ash will be here in three days. I gotta start cleaning up the  
  
house!* Misty thought suddenly. Then it hit her. She stopped in mid- footstep  
  
and sat down.hard. "What if he has a girlfriend already?" she breathed. Since  
  
she was twelve, she'd harbored this secret crush on him, for so many years she'd  
  
entertained the fantasy that he would someday be hers.   
  
  
  
Misty a paced around the house, ringing her hands. She'd gotten very  
  
little sleep the previous night..waiting, worrying. Now the time was upon her.  
  
The moment she had been waiting for, for what seemed like forever. Suddenly  
  
the doorbell cut throught the pounding silence. She jumped a foot in the air at  
  
the sudden noise, and ran to answer the door. Flinging it open, she screamed  
  
and hugged Ash.   
  
"What the HELL are you doing, Waterflower?" screamed an unfamiliar  
  
voice.   
  
She recoiled and shrieked in horror. "RITCHIE????" Ritchie was gay and mortally afraid of women so he backed up quickly.  
  
"Umm..is....is Ash here yet?" he questioned, looking above her head.   
  
Just the Ash's car pulled up. Both Misty and Ritchie squealed and ran  
  
over to it.  
  
"Hi Ash!" Misty exclaimed, this time, hugging the right guy. Ash was startled, but quickly relaxed into an embrace. She shut her eyes  
  
and let the feel of his arms around her overcome her. Then it was over. Ash pulled back awkwardly, realizing what he'd done. Finally, he noticed  
  
Ritchie. "Hey, dude!" Ritchie said enthusiastically. "Dude??" Ash said cocking one eyebrow. "'Tever. Hey, how ya doin'?" Ritchie was disappointed that he didn't get a hug, too. "Peachy," he said,  
  
glancing around again. "Shouldn't we get going to the tournament?" "Yeah," said Ash, and Ritchie got into his brown squat little vehicle and  
  
began to drive away. Ash caught Misty's gaze. "So, how are you?" he asked. His brown eyes  
  
regarded her steadily, and suddenly she felt unnerved, and was at a loss for  
  
words. "I'm..good. How about you?" she asked, shifting uncomfortably. At this  
  
rate, he'd fall for her in the next ten years. "Fairly well. But I've missed you!" He couldn't help it; he hugged her  
  
again, but pulled away very quickly.  
  
Blushing, they both started talking at once. "Maybe we should-" "Ash, can I-" "Oops! Sorry Mist!" He said giving her one of his quick grins. Misty had to smile. The grin always brought her back to the good old  
  
days. "'S my fault. You go first." She said. "We should probably get ready to go to the tournament." "Yea, you right. C'mon" Misty started heading towards the house to grab  
  
her stuff. Ash stopped her by grabbing her arm. "What were you gonna say?" He  
  
asked curiously. "Oh..um..I forgot....maybe I'll remember later. C'mon you'll be late."  
  
Misty replied gawkily, flushing the color of her flaming hair. "Okay. Let's go." Ash replied cheerfully. 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: No DUH!!!  
  
The two of them piled into the car, and Misty said, "so, have you made  
  
any new friends since I talked to you?"   
  
Was it her imagination, or was he blushing? "I, um, made a few. Well,  
  
a lot of people know who I am now, since I became a famous Pokemon trainer,  
  
but...." he was glancing cockily out of the corner of his eye then.   
  
"You're more conceited then ever!" Misty cried. "You haven't changed  
  
one bit!"  
  
"I guess not," he said, grinning his adorable grin again. And then they ran out of things to say. Misty never thought it would  
  
happen. She thought they would be talking a million miles an hour by this time,  
  
trying to catch up on old times. But there was silence. Misty cleared her throat. "Um, how long is it to the stadium?" she  
  
asked. "About 20 miles," he said. Suddenly she thought of something to say, something to break down  
  
the wall of awkwardness. "So what is it about Ritchie, Ash? He was acting  
  
weird." Ash flinched slightly. "I think he....um....has a crush on me."  
  
"Doesn't everyone," said Misty lightly, glancing out the window. Ash  
  
turned his head sharply towards her, narrowly avoiding hitting a passing car. "Whoa! Watch it, Ketchum! You don't want to get us killed before you  
  
reach the tournament, do you?" He shrugged. "Yeah, that WOULD be a bad thing, wouldn't it?" Misty was trying so hard to carry on a normal conversation while they  
  
were driving, but everything she said seemed to come out on a dead end. What  
  
happened to the chatty Ash she'd talked to in letters and on the phone? He  
  
seemed totally nonexistent. After what seemed like an eternity of sitting in the car, fishing for  
  
conversation starters, they arrived at the stadium. Misty burst out of the car after  
  
Ash found a parking spot. Ritchie ran over to the two of them, looking vaguely jealous. "Ready to  
  
battle, Ashy?" He asked. Ash shot him a glance between terror and confusion. "Yea, I am," said Ash coldly, and they headed into the arena. "Pokemon trainers Ash Ketchum and Ritchie Plowers have arrived!!"  
  
screamed a TV announcer, running up to the group. "Who is it you have with you, Mr. Ketchum? Is that your rumored  
  
girlfriend, Cindy Manthis?" Ash's eyes shifted from the reporter to Misty. "No, it's my childhood  
  
traveling companion, Misty Waterflower." She smiled and waved at the camera. "So, are the rumors true, then?" butted in another reporter. "Are you  
  
going out with Ms. Manthis?" A terribly long silence stretched over the three people the camera was  
  
on. "I refuse to answer that question," responded Ash finally, and he  
  
headed towards the middle of the field without saying another word to Misty. A  
  
slow, sinking feeling was overcoming her.  
  
A couple hours later, after they were all settled and the tournament was  
  
about to begin, Misty finally had a minute to see Ash. Quietly slipping into his  
  
room she saw a sight that shocked her. Ash was crying. She had never seen  
  
him this miserable since he almost lost Pikachu. "Ash?" she said quietly. "Misty?! Wha-what do you want? I-I mean!" Ash cried, flustered, quickly  
  
trying to dry his eyes. Misty smiled sadly "It's ok." She paused "Ash..what's wrong??" "Nothing, Misty. I'm fine" "Ash Ketchum!! I am NOT your best friend for nothing. I can TELL when  
  
something's bothering you. So out with it. What's a matter?" "It's nothing. I..I..I just.. Misty, I can't tell you." Misty's anger was getting to her. "Ash did I not just say I was your best  
  
friend?! Of COURSE you can tell me!"  
  
  
  
"No, Misty, I can't. I have to figure this one out on my own okay?? I wish  
  
I could but I just can't! Please understand. Please!" Misty sighed heavily. "Alright! I don't understand but alright." "Thanks" he said, relived. Then he gave her a big hug. "Hey! What was that for?" Misty said surprised.  
  
"For always being there for me..even when I was being a pain in the  
  
butt." Ash responded gazing at her fondly."  
  
Misty laughed slightly, and Ash grinned.  
  
"You've a great laugh, Misty." Ash looked horror stuck. *Oh crap did I  
  
just SAY that?? OUTLOUD??* "Um..I..I mean let's go. the tournaments  
  
starting. Misty??"  
  
"Hm?? What?? Oh, yea, let's go" Misty was still in shock. *Did Ash just  
  
say that..to me??* she kept thinking over and over again. "Welcome to the Koss Tournament. This is the ninth consecutive year in  
  
which...." Began the annoncer, but Ash never heard a word after that. He sat  
  
lost in thought, unaware that someone had come over and was calling his name  
  
until he heard a shout in his ear. "YO, ASH! WAKE UP!!!" came the semi-familiar voice "CRIPES, BROCK!! Scare me why don't you!?" Brock laughed then grinned evilly. "Daydreaming about Cindy again  
  
Ash?? Or maybe it was a DIFFERENT red-head..." Ash made a face at Brock, but muttered "You always DID know what I  
  
was thinking.." This made Brock's mouth drop open. "But..but what about..?" He let  
  
the question go unfinished. "I thought you two were ENGAGED!! Engaged, Ash!" "I KNOW!!" Ash almost screamed. "But seeing her again.. talking to her  
  
in person..being this close. I know I said my feelings had ended..but I knew  
  
in my heart they hadn't. And know I have to add in my feelings for Cindy. I  
  
dunno what to do." Ash explained miserably. "I do. Your gonna go out there and compete and worry about this later.  
  
Hey you're a FAMOUS trainer, you'll do FINE." Brock reminded him after seeing  
  
the look of worry on his face. "I wanna actually talk to you later. It's been  
  
almost five years since I've seen either your or Misty. So whadda say the three  
  
of us go out for old times sake tonight ok?" "Ok" Ash agreed and flashed Brock his million dollar smile. "And now famous Pokemon trainer Ash Ketchum enters the training field!" Instantly, the crowd erupted into cheering. Teenage girls swooned at  
  
the sight of the handsome young man, boys bustled to get his autograph, and  
  
other Pokemon trainers made calls of admiration. Ash Ketchum, the famous Pokemon trainer. He waved like he usually did  
  
and smiled mechanically at the crowd. Not one of the people in the crowd knew  
  
of his inner turmoil. He tried to shove aside his whirling thoughts and ran onto the field,  
  
ready to battle. The old rush of excitement overcame him as he whipped out the  
  
Pokeball holding his Charizard. Suddenly, Ash caught a glimpse of red hair out of the corner of his eye,  
  
and knew Misty was watching him. He felt her eyes on his back as he battled with Charizard, then Pikachu,  
  
then Notctowl. *Why do I feel so self-conscious? * He wondered as he struggled to  
  
concentrate on the battle. *It's just Misty. It's not like Cindy is out there  
  
watching or anything. * But she was. The second he won the battle, a petite, redheaded girl  
  
rushed out onto the field and hugged him furiously from behind. "Misty?!" He exclaimed, turning around quickly. "The last time I looked, my name was Cindy," she said. He smiled and hugged her back, expecting to feel comforted. But it only  
  
felt wrong.  
  
Misty gasped in shock as the energetic girl bound onto the field and  
  
hugged Ash. HER Ash. But then, as she watched in horror, he hugged her back.  
  
Slowly, Misty closed her eyes and sat down. This couldn't be happening. It couldn't. But it was. She forced her eyes  
  
open and saw that the terrible scene was over, and now Cindy and Ash were  
  
leaving the battlefield, arm in arm. Tears were blurring her vision. Misty stood up and stumbled out of the  
  
stands, carelessly bumping into people, and ignoring their shallow shouts behind  
  
her. "Misty!" yelled Brock, seeing her shoving people aside in her haste to  
  
get out. He ran up to where she was and caught her hands in his own.  
  
"What's wrong?" he asked. Her watery eyes met his and she just said, "Nothing." Brock shook his head. "Misty! Tell me!" She just looked away. Ash and Cindy headed outside and were passing them up at that very  
  
moment, and it was at that very moment that Cindy chose to notice Misty. "Misty? Misty Waterflower?" She said. "Oh, it is you!" Misty wiped her eyes and stared up into the face of the other redhead.  
  
"Cindy?" Her eyes held not a sign of contempt. "Nice to see you! How have you  
  
been lately?" Her gaze scrutinized Misty's red, blotchy face. "Good," said Misty, though it was apparent that she was lying. "Good, I'm glad to hear that," she said. It seemed as if their previous  
  
rivalry was forgotten. "Well, ASH and I have to go," she added, sweetly smiling. As they  
  
turned to leave with a totally expressionless Ash, she said, "And I see you're still  
  
single?" "Bitch!" Misty murmured under her breath. Then Misty turned and  
  
flounced away. 


End file.
